My son finally beats me at Mario Kart Wii

The Game Room
1

This probably belongs in MPSIMS, but since it is about Mario Kart, here it goes.

My son enjoys playing Mario Kart Wii with me. I almost always win. Sometimes I will have some bad luck (blue shells, etc.) and he will beat me in a particular race, but I always win the circuit. After beating him in the Flower Cup last night, he wants to play his favorite, the Mushroom Cup. He proceeds to beat me in all 4 races and the only one where I got really unlucky was the Mushroom Gorge race. So, I guess my son is growing up. Now if we can just get him potty trained.

2

I had to respond to your OP because I love MarioKart, and because it fascinates me that it appeals to both kids who are potty-training age, like your son, and kids who old enough to be learning how to drive, like my son. Plus, it’s fun for adults, as well. I wonder how many other games have that sort of intergenerational appeal.

My son almost always beats me, especially if he chooses some stupidly hard race like Rainbow Road or Wario’s Gold Mine. It wouldn’t be so bad if he hid his pity just a little better, but it’s always very obvious that he really feels bad that I am so lacking. On the occasions I do beat him (most likely to happen in Peach Garden or Delfino Square) I’m afraid I’m not terribly gracious in my win.

3

At least the kid has his priorities straight. MarioKart > Potty Training.

4

Well, one thing that helps with Mario Kart Wii is the simple controls. Once the three-year-old figured out that turning the wheel a certain way had a certain effect, he was on his way to doing fairly well. He would like to play Super Smash Brothers Brawl, de Blob, and Super Mario Strikers, but the controls are just too complicated. If you could get another game with the deep gameplay, but simple controls of Mario Kart, I think it would have intergenerational appeal (having Mario characters would also help).

5

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
little boy blue and the man on the moon

6

Damn, it took my kid until the age of seven to start beating me on that game (I let him).

7

I’m going to have to wait another year or two before he gets old enough to do that. Though at 1 1/2, it’s cute to see him waving the 2nd Wii remote back and forth like he’s playing Tennis with Dad.

8

My 2 year old “plays” Mario Kart by making whoever I choose for him go back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. He does eventually m ake progress, but I’m pretty sure it is through no real intent on his part. I think if I were to leave him there for a few hours, he would eventually complete the track. (Assuming his attention span were that long- which it is not)

He also likes to pause & unpause the game ad nauseum.

I’m curious, MentalGuy how old your kid is. Because we’ve been slowly bring our 2 year old along with potty training- but he’s nowhere near playing MarioKart for real. I’m very impressed with that. When did you start teaching him, or did he just observe you and pick it up?

9

It is more the fact that he is slow to potty train than anything. He is 3 years 4 months. Our other sons were potty trained by 2 and 1/2. Just a couple of months ago, he was just randomly going all over the track also. I had explained to him several times about turning the wheel the way you want it to go, but one day it just sort of clicked with him and he has been improving ever since.